Forti Education

To Give A Defense: The Ligonier Ministries Conference 2011

2011-04-19T19:44:00.002-04:00

Former Forti Education student Jonathan Wright recently attend R.C. Sproul's Ligonier Conference in Orlando. Upon his return, he shared his thoughts and observations with us. Jonathon was one of our brightest students last summer and we hope to see him back again this year. Enjoy!

Kyle

To Give A Defense

by Jonathan Wright

Ligonier Ministries was founded by Dr. R.C. Sproul, one of the most influential Bible teachers of modern times. My family and I attended the 2011 National conference in Orlando, Florida, while touring the newly founded Reformation Bible College. Located in a huge Baptist church in Orlando, the Ligonier conference was packed. The first day we arrived, we walked into the mega-church, was filled thousands of men, women and children. The amazingly high ceiling complemented the huge number of people who attended conference entitled “Light and Heat: A Passion for the Holiness of God”

As I was handed the program, I gazed at the caliber of men speaking at the conference. Of course, R.C. was scheduled for the first talk, and then came Steve Lawson, R.C. Sproul Jr., and John Piper. These people truly amazed me, not to mention Sinclair Ferguson and W. Robert Godfrey. This was, in reality, the major Reformed Bible conference of the year.

One speaker, Steve Lawson, influenced me regarding how I view worship. On the second day, he spoke on worship, and what it should be like. He exhibited power and ambition in his delivery. Admiring his manner of speaking, I noted that the content was completely biblically sound. Worship services, he said, should be a reflection of what we do in heaven; since it is clear we will be worshiping God there. As worshipers, we should be focusing on what will be a pleasing aroma towards God. Worship should not be focused on ourselves, but on God, because self-focused worship will not lead to true worship. Since I lead worship for our church youth-group, I grasped the importance of this call. This influenced my way of thought from then on about the subject.

Also speaking that day was R.C. Sproul on Christian apologetics. As a premise, he said that when defending the Christian faith, there are two things that need to be verified: the existence of God, and the authority of the Bible as His word. Through philosophical reasoning he led us to the conclusion that because we are finite, there has to be something that is not. In other words, for something to be created there has to be a creator. Through that, he believed, we can understand that there is a being higher than ourselves that has always existed. He did not go into fine detail about the authority of the Bible, during this particular talk. But R.C.’s points were clear and he made an extremely effective case for the existence of God.

Last summer, I attended the Forti Education Class in New Hampshire, where we examined apologetics of the Christian faith. One of the main points of the class was to have facts behind our faith. In reality, the goal is to be able to factually and logically prove Christianity. Without these tools, Christians are left with blind faith, which is not Biblically correct. To sum up our Christian call, Paul says in 1 Peter 3:15 to “honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”

Jonathan Wright is 15 years old and lives in New Hampshire.

Final 'Top 10 to Attend': Reason # 10 - Academics and vocation.

2011-04-16T16:30:00.000-04:00

Academics and vocation.
At your age, you are probably very involved with high school, college, or work. If you are lacking motivation, a week with Forti Education can spark interest in an area of study or employment. College students and entrepreneurs ourselves, we can offer advice on some of the aspects of finding, choosing, and loving a path for your future.

Hope

'Top 10 to Attend': Reason # 9 - Accessibility.

2011-04-14T22:50:00.000-04:00

# 9 - Accessibility.
We come to you. No hotels. No road trips. Easy.

Hope

'Top 10 to Attend': Reason # 8 - Learn About Your Design...

2011-04-14T03:02:00.001-04:00

...as a man or woman and imagine new ways to serve within that context every day...starting now. Be encouraged by fellowship with others who want to live well in the same way.

Hope

'Top 10 to Attend': Reason # 7 - Others.

2011-04-12T21:10:00.002-04:00

# 7 - Others.
As our first tagline in 2009 and 2010 said, "Relationships are the most important part of life!" Learn how to understand where you're coming from and learn about the mindset of others so that you can have meaning-filled relationships.

Hope

'Top 10 to Attend': Reason # 6 - The Year Ahead

2011-04-11T22:48:00.000-04:00

# 6 - The year ahead.

Via email, newsletters, blog, website and Facebook, you'll have updates from us throughout the year--not only about upcoming Forti Education events and opportunities, but a stream of articles, event listings and notable current events to keep you informed on things important to a Christian. More importantly, you have two more friends committed to praying for you all year long.

Hope

'Top 10 to Attend': Reason # 5 - Fun.

2011-04-10T21:36:00.002-04:00

# 5 - FUN.
Should you choose to stay for the lunch hour, enjoy break-time learning how to play rugby, or with energizing walks, relationship-building conversations, and perhaps even culinary adventures...?

Hope

'Top 10 to Attend': Reason # 4 - High school credit.

2011-04-09T23:39:00.000-04:00

# 4 - High School Credit.
We offer official grade reports ($10) with a credit breakdown for the week. All of the student's work along with feedback is included. As college comes closer, this will help with record-keeping and building a well-rounded high school portfolio.

Hope

'Top 10 to Attend': Reason # 3 - Family

2011-04-08T09:17:00.002-04:00

# 3 - Family
We are fully convinced that God works most powerfully through a family relationship. Because of this, we welcome parents to experience the full week of class with their students at no additional cost. We finish the week by spending time with the parents as a group. In that time, we can share resources, curricula, and encouragement for parents to fill their homes with continued discipleship.

Hope

'Top 10 to Attend': Reason # 2 - Meaning.

2011-04-07T00:13:00.001-04:00

# 2 - Meaning.

During our week together, Kyle and Hope want to leave no jargon unexplained, no catchphrase mystically hazy, and no lingo frustratingly empty. To see that the Christian faith is valuable, we have to know what we mean when we talk about it. This means we define our terms and tell you what we mean. Defining our terms will allow us to define our lives. We won't be the only ones doing all the work here, though. Past students know that we also spend several hours throughout the week finding out what each student means himself. Playing devil's advocate, we'll challenge you to explain why or what you believe. This can be a trying exercise, but it will reap a large payback of knowing where to grow and confidence in the future. As a favorite professor who made us answer hard questions in class said to us, "I'm doing to you in a friendly setting what the world wants to do to you in an unfriendly setting."

Hope

'Top 10 to Attend': Reason # 1 - Value for your buck.

2011-04-05T23:58:00.002-04:00

# 1 - Value for your buck.

With early registration and discount-earning projects, a week with Forti Education will end up costing you between $150 and absolutely nothing. How could it be free? Take advantage of early registration, and all the earned tuition, and refer eleven friends to register (at -$10 per referral), and you're set!

Hope

Launching 'Top 10 to Attend': Reasons to attend (or come back to!) Summer Conference Classes

2011-04-05T01:42:00.001-04:00

Hope is ready to persuade each of you on the top reasons to join us this summer at any session of our 2011 Conference Classes.

As such, we're announcing 10 Reasons in 10 Days campaign where she will be fully detailing each day yet other reason you can't afford to miss this summer. By mid-April, you'll have the complete "Top 10 to Attend" list still plenty of time to sign up. =]

Visit right here, on our Facebook page, or via Twitter to track it all. Comment too! ...Tell us if you agree.

STARTS TOMORROW.

The Heart That Holds On

2011-04-02T20:54:00.001-04:00

Hope recently presented her first paper at the Evangelical Theological Society's Midwest Conference last weekend. Entitled "The Heart That Holds On: Cultivating a Lasting Devotion to God in Youth", this work focuses on the potential dangers that arise when being raised in a Christian home. Hope searches Scripture, studies church and family trends, and discusses not only how to prevent these disadvantages, but how to use the challenges as a way to remind parents to disciple their children in Christ. In other words, this paper's focus in not on merely surviving, but thriving as Christians work to pass the baton on to the next generation.

The ETS Conference was just the beginning for this paper as well as Hope's thoughts and studies in this area. She fielded questions from the audience and is continually compiling research that will assist her in further answering these and other questions on the topic.

We would like to share the paper with you for your thoughts, comments, insights, and questions. As such, we have uploaded "The Heart That Holds On" to our website and you can download it now in PDF form.

Enjoying reading through it and feel free to pass it on to others!

Stand,

Kyle

An Introduction

2011-04-02T12:47:00.004-04:00

Welcome friends!

Hope and I are grateful you've stumbled upon our new Blog in connection with our teaching ministry, Forti Education.

Everything we do in life should have some reason or purpose behind it so let me dedicate this first post to our mission here. What we desire to do with our Blog is provide a more conversational flow with all of you when it comes to the issues of thinking, believing, and living out the Truths of the gospel as young people today.

As we say on our website:

Our blog will be a main venue by which we keep you posted on the latest: both in our ministry and in the Church at large.

We'll have event details, book reviews, theological posts, guest columns, etc.

We'll share articles and essays that would be intriguing and helpful to all interested in theology, apologetics and living well.

We'll congratulate, challenge, and perhaps even contest as we strive ever mindful of the importance of intellectual wherewithal and biblical communication.

Our website serves its purpose in giving a strong overview of who we are and what we do. Our Facebook page is good for Facebook users to network with us and other students. Our Twitter feed is an excellent way for social media gurus to follow our latest thoughts and findings in 140 characters or less. Our audience here however is any and all. Unlike our other outlets, this Blog will allow anyone with or without a Facebook or Twitter account, a former student or prospective student, Christians and non-Christians with a needed place to turn to sharpen each other and seek to be sanctified.

May this always be an outlet where apologetics, biblical theology, communication, and bold Christian living thrives among young hearts and minds; where we can be dedicated to the abundant Christian life in a real world. Let us learn together and grow together, holding nothing back.

Stand,

Kyle